Fine, DDP and Living Life at 90%

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As I have mention in my last few blogs, Head, Body, Heart, The JB and Me Challenge and One Month Update, I have started doing DDP Yoga. The app (DDPY Now) is amazing. Lots of workouts, programs, motivational videos and healthy eating videos with lots of recipes. Or wrestlepes as they like to call them because of Diamond Dallas Page himself. Corny but cool. The other thing that is included with the 13 week Beginner Program is the Weekly Guide. Each week DDP sets new homework and suggestions to get the most out of the program. The Week 8 Guide suggested watching the video Living Life At 90%. The app includes a link to this 1 hour talk by DDP.

The coolest thing when I hit play was the guy introducing this talk. Someone I have immense respect for. Someone I have watched work, I have watched how amazing actors he trains can be, I have been trained by him personally and I have hung out in a bar having a drink and a chat with him. That is the man known as Howard Fine.

Now I don’t want to say too much about the talk as there is probably copyright rules and also the respect that it was his talk, not mine. Hopefully DDP doesn’t mind if I tell you a little bit and the incredible timing. The concept is based on a line that DDP heard someone say to him that Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. In life there are constantly things being thrown at us. Some good, some bad and some absolute shit. You have the choice how you react and take action when something happens. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it but it is always true.

Last week I received a proper kick in the guts. Figuratively, not literally. Although the words weren’t this, the voice in my head translated it to “Remember your place, you worthless, useless, piece of shit!” with a side dose of “How on earth did you think you had a shot, you delusional idiot!”. None of that was actually said. That is just how I took it. Things were said, yes, but nothing like that.

So what actions did I take? A quick stop at Dan Murphy’s on the way home and convince my wife and 18yo son that we were celebrating the long weekend and shared some of the cheap bottle of vodka with them. The problem with sharing was that there was none there on Friday night when I still felt the same and being Good Friday meant that there was no way to buy more. These actions were fully controlled by me. Will they help me go further in life? Probably not.

Sunday I watched Living Life At 90%. Now I will work on Living Life At 90%. I don’t know if there is any way of watching this video without the app.

I can’t thank these two enough. Howard’s understanding of the acting craft is incredible and apparently, as I have now found out, so are his 10 second push ups. Admittedly, I trained with Howard Fine in 2017 and late 2017 I walked away from stage and screen after finally doing my first solo comedy show called Andrew Brown – The Most Boring Name In Entertainment. I then went back into a full-time, “normal” job for the first time in about 8 years.

Late 2018 I found DDP Yoga. Finished the 13 Week Beginner Program and continued for a few more weeks before hurting my back at work. A few weeks of doing little else but laying around and feeling sorry for myself.

2019 was year of continuing the internal struggles. Battling depression and going in and out of some dark places. 2020 was time to do something again.

So, Monday 24th February, 2020 I started Day 1 of the 13 Week Beginner Program again. Although I love DDP Yoga, my favourite things about the whole experience isn’t just the Yoga. As I mentioned above, there’s the workouts, programs (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and More), Motivational Monday videos and healthy eating videos with lots of recipes. But there is also the private group on Facebook with people sharing experiences, breakthroughs, goals, etc. So much love, support and encouragement flowing through from complete strangers.

I loved my time with Howard and if I ever return to acting then I hope to see him again. Right now though I hope to hang out with Diamond Dallas Page and do a workout with him. Either here in Australia or maybe one day I will have the money to travel and I’ll head to DDP YOGA PERFORMANCE CENTER in Georgia, U.S.A.

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2 thoughts on “Fine, DDP and Living Life at 90%”

All good 👍 how’s your family? Hopefully we’ll and ok… I get it. And by the way, your last first show was funny! Like, really funny. The sight impaired lady thought I was five people! You just were making laughter in five different ways. I hope you can find your inner peace. I hope you can find your way forward. I hope you are all healthy. I hope in the future you remember to update us on your family xx I hope you find yourself while in lockdown. Maybe this is your opportunity to send out a little bit of your funny to the rest of the country who missed out. You’re going to be ok! So is your family. I’d love to see you remember the man who was the light of your family xx you and your wife were beacons of hope for me, and others. Don’t ever forget that. Your family is amazing! God bless them all xxx